1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to Quick Releasable Vise-grip pliers, specifically to an improved clamping jaw mechanism.
2. Description of Prior Art
Adjustable, quickly releasable, locking pliers employed by operators skilled in the art typically have short jaws which limit their range of general use. Their range of motion in gripping materials of increasing size is limited, therefore impeding many applications. Furthermore, the ends of the jaws in quick releasable pliers must approach each other, end to end, in order to hold materials.
The purpose of employing vise-grip type pliers is that they are adjustable to and readily releasable from their work pieces. Actuating levers, locking, and quick releasable mechanisms are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,280,005 by William Petersen, 1924.
Other inventions have fashioned jaw arrangements of the C-clamp type for self-locking plier clamps, short jaws with a nearly flat parallel inside jaw and teeth shape. Some jaws have a concave inside jaw shape, needle-nose shape, a bent needle-nose shape, also half C-clamp ends applied to holding materials down against work tables. Other jaws are shaped as corner clamps, and some with flattened L-shaped ends for clamping angled work pieces. All these jaw configurations are limited in their clamping function by the way the jaw ends meet. The jaws open and close only, and are adjustable only within a limited range for gripping and holding work pieces. With prior art jaws, the work piece is held with the inside or inboard surface of the jaws.
There are prior art designs of non self-locking pliers which incorporate two handles acting as levers with work ends that spread their work pieces, but the jaws of these pliers do not work crossed and uncrossed, nor do they spread and hold with the compound lever force inherent in vise-grip style pliers. The ability to adjust and quickly release are convenience features, also absent in prior art.
Furthermore, the jaw designs of other vise-grip style pliers are unable to grasp hollow objects exclusively by the inside surface. Likewise they must grasp both the inside and outside surface simultaneously, which is inconvenient and undesirable in some applications. This engagement on both surfaces can cause damage, distortion or marring to the outside surface of work material.
The variety of specialized prior art jaw shapes including chain type locking pliers are designed to accommodate and facilitate application to numerous objects of various shapes and sizes however, all these jaw designs employ only an inward clamping force. One example of this limitation is in holding hollow work material, Prior art jaws must be re-positioned numerous times to accomplish certain tasks. This multiple re-positioning of the jaws increases the risk of bodily harm or disaster to those skilled in the trade. Likewise, it is very difficult to employ prior art pliers when re-opening a pinched end of a tail pipe on a vehicle.